During your eye test we examine…
- Your Eye Health Screening
- Your Health History
- Eye Health History
- Personal Recommendations
Your Eye health screening.
A range of eye care professionals will see you during your eye test. Prior to your formal sight examination with your optometrist, a dispensing optician will perform a health screening which is designed to gain a full picture of your eyes and to check for any underlying eye conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration or broader conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure.
With more than 100 different ways to assess how your eyes are working, our optometrists select the tests most appropriate to you, based on the personal information you have given them.
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The autorefractor
An autorefractor will assist your Optometrist in providing the best visual correction. Your Optometrist will use the device to examine how the eye processes light. Any refraction anomalies can help to determine if you need prescription glasses or contact lenses to correct your vision.
The autorefractor examination only takes a few seconds to complete. We will ask you to look at a picture and, then the machine uses a complex procedure to estimate your required prescription. This information is then used by your Optometrist along with other tests to determine the final prescription that gives you the best possible level of vision.
When the picture is perfectly placed on the retina, the autorefractor then gives an initial reading of the eye's focussing power and the need for any corrective lenses.
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Checking the power of existing glasses
It is important to bring your current glasses with you, as a power reading will be taken to give further information into how your eyesight has changed, if at all. We can also check to see if any adjustments are needed to ensure your glasses continue to fit you comfortably and are positioned correctly. We will also examine the lenses in your glasses to check for any scratches which may be interfering with your vision.
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Using a non-contact tonometer
A non-contact tonometer is an instrument used by your optometrist (can be an Associate in Eye Health Screening) to measure the intraocular pressure inside your eyes.
A puff of air is directed into the eye, measuring the pressure based on the eye's resistance to the air. It only takes a couple of seconds to perform and can give your optometrist valuable information about the health of your eye and any indications of more serious vision problems, such as Glaucoma, which can lead to serious sight loss. Caught early, these conditions can easily be managed and treated.
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DRP
We offer digital retinal photography with every eye test we carry out in all Vision Express stores.
Using a fundus camera we are able to take a detailed photograph of the back of your eyes. The photograph shows a detailed image of your retina allowing you to see what we see; as well as keeping a permanent photographic reference of your eye health so we can review it again when you come back to see us next time.
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Visual field screener
The visual field screener is used to determine your field of vision and locate any 'blind spots' within your peripheral vision. During the test, you will be asked to look at a spot in the centre of the machine and respond to the lights flashing around this central target. This test may be repeated several times in both eyes.
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Your Health History
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General health questions
We will ask questions about your general health and any medication you may be taking. This is important as some medical conditions/medications can affect your eyes. We will also ask for information on family related health problems, such as diabetes, and whether you have any allergies.
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Ocular health questions
Your optometrist will ask whether you have had any eyesight issues in the past - for example: some people have had to visit a hospital eye clinic or have worn an eye patch for a “lazy eye” as a child. Your optometrist will also enquire about whether you currently or have previously worn any glasses or contact lenses and will be interested in how you feel about your current vision and whether you are noticing anything that interferes with your vision, such as blurry & hazy vision, flashes of light, floaters, eye strain, eye pain/discomfort or suffering from any headaches or migraines. If you have been diagnosed with any eye conditions previously this should be mentioned to your optometrist.
Some eye conditions can be hereditary, therefore it is wise to check prior to the eye examination with other family members as to whether there is a family history of any eye conditions
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Snellen chart
The Snellen test chart is probably the most familiar piece of equipment used by your optometrist to check your eyesight. The most common chart is the Snellen chart, which is a series of letters of differing sizes, ranging from the largest at one end to the smallest at the other.
During an eye test, you will be asked to read from the chart to determine the visual acuity of your sight.
Reading with and without a prescription – The retinoscope
Another tool which may be used to help determine your final prescription is the retinoscope. It measures the refractive error of your eye to determine the proper prescription for any corrective lenses that might be needed. By observing how the eye processes a beam of light, your optometrist can determine if you suffer from myopia (nearsightedness) or hypermetropia (farsightedness) or if you have an astigmatism.
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Eye Health History
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Focus
Your optometrist will show you various lenses to determine any need for glasses and/or contact lenses. A prescription will be issued at the completion of the eye examination, which can be used to purchase glasses or in preparation for a contact lens trial. The Optometrist will ask a series of questions to better understand your lifestyle, there are no right or wrong answers to these questions but the information will provide more information to accommodate for your prescription.
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Associated phoria (fixation disparity) test
In some cases, eye sight can vary between eyes. To measure how well your eyes work together we do a fixation disparity test. This determines if your eyes are working well together and how much correction may be needed to balance your eyesight.
One way that Optometrists may assess this is by asking you to look at a panel and say whether the bars appear to be in line both horizontally and vertically. If they appear out of line your optometrist will decide whether or not this needs correction with a prism in the lenses of your glasses.
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The slit lamp
The slit lamp – Front of the eye (slit lamp) and back of the eye (Volk lens).
A common way of examining the health of your eyes is by using a slit lamp bio-microscope combined with a Volk lens. . The optician will conduct a careful inspection from the front to the back surface of the eyes, assessing the condition of the cornea, sclera, conjunctiva, the iris and the lens. The Volk lens may then be introduced in front of the eye but not touching it. This lens will help the optometrist assess the back of the eye, retina, optic nerve and blood vessels in detailed 3D. These structures of the eye can also be assessed with an ophthalmoscope which is a hand held instrument and is held close to your eyes
The optician can detect indicators of certain systemic conditions such as diabetes or high blood pressure by observing changes to the fine blood vessels with in the eyes. Other common eye conditions such as cataract, glaucoma and macular degeneration can also be detected during the eye examination.
The slit lamp examination is particularly important for contact lens wearers, as the lens sits directly on the surface of the eye. It is used to check the fit of contact lenses, and allows us to monitor any changes in your eyes due to lens wear.
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Personal recommendations
Once your eye test has been completed, your results will be handed over to an optical assistant to help you choose the right glasses for you. With the biggest designer range on the high street, Vision Express has a wide range of frames and lenses suiting many different styles and budgets. We will help you choose the correct frame and lenses for your prescription.
It is important that you choose a pair of glasses that you feel happy with, and we will make any minor alterations to the frames to ensure that they fit properly and are comfortable to wear.
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Your suitability for contacts
Your optometrist will investigate how suitable your eyes will be for contact lenses by closely inspecting the front surface of the eyes, applying a temporarily orange coloured dye which highlights the quality of your tears, cornea, conjunctiva and eye lids. This dye is harmless and will wash out with your tears within a few minutes. You will be asked general life style questions such as whether there are any occasions you would rather not wear your glasses. They will combine their findings with information from the eye examination to ensure a suitable contact lens can be placed on to your eyes. You will then experience clear vision free of your glasses. Before supplying contact lenses for a trial, the fit of the lenses will be assessed and you will be taught how to apply and remove them whilst taking proper care for them.
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Reassurances
At the end of the examination, your Optometrist will explain their findings and discuss the health of your eyes with you. If you require glasses or contact lenses they will discuss what they are needed for and provide you with individual recommendations of your eye wear options to suit your personal life style needs. They will also go through your suitability for contact lenses and your Optometrist can answer any vision related questions you may have, they will then recommend when your next eye examination should be arranged and any further tests that may be required.
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Your lifestyle and visual needs
By identifying what activities you do day to day we can recommend the best visual solutions for your vision needs. Your Optometrist will do this by asking questions relating to your work, lifestyle, hobbies and the environments you spend time
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Choosing your glasses
Once your eye test has been completed, your results will be handed over to an associate to help you choose the right glasses. At Vision Express we have a wide range of frames and lenses to choose from, suiting many different style and budgets. We will help you choose the correct frame and lenses for your prescription.
It is important that you choose a pair of glasses that you feel happy with, and we will make any minor alterations to the frames to ensure that they fit properly and are comfortable to wear.
Taking care of your vision begins with an eye testBook online today
Eye anatomy
The eye is an incredibly complex organ that reacts to light, processes it and transmits it to the brain, allowing you to 'see'.
Learn more
Digital retinal photography
We take a photograph of the back of your eye to provide a detailed view of your retina.
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